A Shadow From The Past
by Bubbles
Summary: An old love of Ryoko's comes back to claim her, making Tenchi realize his true feelings. This is a Tenchi/Ryoko fic, so if you like Ayeka STOP CALLING ME! Please r&r!


The alarm bells boomed and whined as Ryoko raged through the long   
bank corridor. "It's you!" shouted a small, plump teller. "The dreaded space   
pirate!"   
She shot her hand forward and a bright ball of fire flew from it, layering   
the old man with smoke and the sounds of women's screams. He cried out in   
agony, causing Ryoko's heart to flutter. This was it, she thought. There was   
nothing else like this.   
A blinding flash whipped through the air as Ryoko busted open the vault   
door, leaving the money filled sacks lying vulnerable inside. She grabbed as   
many as she could, until the sounds of sirens cracked the atmosphere.   
"Ryoko! Give up and step away from the cash, or else you will be   
captured on the spot!" Shouted a policeman from outside the vault.   
"Heh, heh, heeh," Ryoko chuckled loudly. "You say that like it's easy."  
"Just surrender before I'm forced to take serious action!" the policeman   
retaliated uneasily. He raised his gun upwards, aiming it directly at Ryoko's   
stern and anxious face.   
Again, she laughed mildly to herself. "Ryo-Ohki, now!"   
The ceiling was ripped violently open, revealing Ryo-Ohki meowing   
wildly as she hovered in the air. "Meeeoooooowww!"   
Ryoko raced skyward, dodging the bullets that flew madly all around her.   
She collapsed inside as Ryo-Ohki took off up into the universe. She lay their,   
listening to the hum of the ship. She could still hear the cries of the innocent, the   
blasts of the explosions, the rage of the war. She smiled gently. "You know Ryo-  
Ohki, this is the life." She let out a long, full sigh, as if releasing all the   
excitement. Suddenly, her happiness was engulfed by a different feeling. A   
feeling she had only felt during the dark recesses of space, something that took   
her while she fought to sleep in the eternal dark. The loneliness came quicker this   
time, ruining her content and overwhelming her with despair. It cut through her   
like a knife, ripping apart the past and swinging it brutally into the present. She   
tried to swallow it, to no prevail. She knew it wouldn't leave, not this time.   
"Oh, I need a drink."  
******  
The bar was quiet this evening, only a few dulled voices could be heard in   
the silence. The tables were all vacant, and a small, withered old woman and a   
stout man that looked like he had more problems than he could bear only   
occupied the stools. Ryoko peered into her drink, watching the bubbles fly to and   
fro in their wild dance. She couldn't deny it any longer. She knew she needed   
someone. Not just someone to talk to, but someone to want her, to need her, to   
miss her when she was gone. Suddenly, she felt a hand rest gently on her   
shoulder. "Hello, Ryoko."  
She spun around, only to face a tall, shadowy man. Her eyes looked him   
over, traveling from the tip of his shoes to his long, dark hair. His upper body   
was firm and muscly, connected to by a strong, thick neck, followed by his face.   
It looked solid and stiff, and yet seemed soft to the touch. The thing that   
captivated Ryoko most however, was his eyes. They looked as though they had   
seen and held on to a thousand ages, things she had only seen in her nightmares.   
"Do I know you?" Ryoko burst out when she realized she was staring.  
"Doubtful," he replied as he eased slowly down onto the stool at her side.   
"But I am quite familiar with you, and your work. I've been watching you for a   
while."  
"Look buddy, I don't know who you are, but if you think I'm in any mood   
to be hit on by some weird stalker, you can think again." She started to get up,   
but was pulled back forcefully by one of his massive hands. They were just as   
gentle as they were rough.  
"You really think I would hit on merciful space-" he looked up, and   
realized that he was being watched suspiciously by the bartender. He turned   
back to face Ryoko, then lowered his voice. "On a space pirate? You've got to be   
kidding me. Honestly, I'm not about to be beaten into a bloody pulp."  
Ryoko almost laughed at his bluntness. She knew it wasn't what he had   
meant to do, but she was flattered. "Well, than what do you want from me?"  
"I want you to join me. I'm a space pirate, just like you. Unfortunately not   
as powerful, but maybe more intelligent. I figure with my brains and your   
supremacy we could live like kings!"  
"Are you kidding? I don't even know your name you bonehead, and you   
really expect me to join you on some wild crusade? You must be crazy!" She was   
almost at the point of yelling.  
"My name is Kazuhiro. Satisfied?"   
She grunted, then raised her glass to her lips.   
"Please Ryoko, I just know you're what I've been looking for. You, like   
me, understand that pirating is about more than the money. It's about the yells,   
the explosions, the battles, the narrow escapes. It's about living life to the   
fullest!" He lowered his head slowly to the ground, then sighed. "And I know   
you must feel the loneliness the package includes. You must have at some time   
experienced the sad nights full of nothing and no one to want you. It's pained me   
for some time now, but I know, with you, those nights won't be as cold."  
Her mind was spinning. She knew what he said was true, but how could   
she possibly trust him? She didn't know him, she'd never seen him, so how   
could she put faith in a dream? She leapt up from her stool and ambled out of the   
bar in a huff. "Ryoko, stop!" he shouted.   
She didn't have to guess he was following her. As her pace sped up, so   
did his. The chilly night air made it even worse, for she felt as if all odds were   
against her. Finally she ran, turning corners and running down allies, trying to   
shake him off, but she couldn't. He was always after her, nipping at her heels   
and breathing down her neck. At length, she surrendered. She slowed to a brisk   
walk, then halted. She swept around, almost bumping into Kazuhiro's thick   
chest. "Alright," she huffed. "When do we begin?"  
******  
The leaves were turning and the crisp fall air made the hair on the   
back on Tenchi's neck stand on end. It was all so beautiful, and yet so sad   
that things had to change. "Oh well," he said to himself. "Change isn't   
easy, but it's good for all things, I suppose."  
He continued on with his lifeless sweeping, as the sharp October   
wind whipped past him. His daydreams were interrupted by the sounds   
of shouting from inside the house.   
"Mihoshi, get that off your head! I think Sasami was planning on   
serving that watermelon, but look, you've ruined it!"   
"But Kiyone, I was just playing with it!"   
"Grr… You are completely hopeless!"  
"Girls, please stop! I can get a new watermelon, there's no need to   
argue like this!" Sasami's innocent voice swept over the other girls.  
Tenchi groaned. Yup, just another day at the Masaki household, he   
thought. "Tenchiiiiii…" Ryoko said harmoniously as she laid a hand   
seductively on his shoulder.   
"AAAAAA!" He yelled at the surprise. "Ryoko, what's the   
big idea? You scared me out of my wits!"  
"Oh you're so silly Tenchi… I saw you dreaming, just now. Were   
those dreams about me???" She said sinfully, then threw her arms around   
his neck with a giggle.  
"Ryoko, get off me!" He tried forcefully to push her off his back, to   
no success. "You're always playing. Can't you do some work for a   
change?"  
"I will not allow this!" Ayeka's jagged voice cracked the stillness of   
the autumn air as she left the house and rushed toward them in morose.   
"Get off Tenchi this instant you… you… you criminal!"  
"Ooo, big word for such a little princess." Ryoko said as she   
jumped from Tenchi and met Ayeka's malicious gaze.   
"What do you think you're trying to do!?"  
"Why, trying to seduce Tenchi, like usual. I probably would have   
him in my grasp by now if it wasn't for you and your annoying yelp."  
"What!? I do not have an annoying voice! And Tenchi would never   
let himself be seduced in the first place by such a retched monster as you!   
Everyone knows he's in love with me."  
"Oh, you wish princess! He's been mine forever!"  
"Aaarrgggg!" Ayeka lunged at Ryoko, yanking at her hair and   
clawing at her face. Ryoko leaped skyward, concocting a large yellow   
mass in her hand. She readied it for departure, when a loud yell bellowed   
through the air.   
"That's enough you two!" Tenchi hollered, his annoyed eyes   
tearing into both the flesh of the girls.  
Ryoko ignored Tenchi's words and sent the bright ball violently   
down toward Ayeka, who stood glaring viciously up at her. She screamed   
in surprise, and dove out into Tenchi just as the mass hit earth, and a   
gargantuan explosion whizzed over tree and shrub, tearing the ground   
and slicing the atmosphere. Ryoko laughed maniacally, then raced down   
to where Ayeka and Tenchi lay sprawled on the ground. "Had enough   
princess?" She asked, an evil grin resting gently on her chin.  
"Ryoko! What did you think you were doing?!" Tenchi roared as he   
lifted himself forcefully up from Ayeka. His eyes flashed with rage at   
Ryoko, who stood glued to the spot. "You could have killed her! You're   
always so wild and getting into trouble! Why don't you just get out of   
here!"   
Silence. Ryoko was still, her face exposing shocked eyes as well as a   
horrified mouth. Ayeka still lay on the ground, stunned. "T-T-Tenchi…"   
she whispered, feeling joy swell up inside her. He had stood up for her,   
even against Ryoko, the most unruly monster of them all!  
A tear slipped quietly down Ryoko's bear cheeks, chilling them as a   
harsh fall wind whipped by. She took a step backward from Tenchi's   
fierce gaze, then vanished, leaving her heart ripped to shreds in his hands.  
"Oh no…" Tenchi's subconscious leaped into action as he realized   
what he had done. "Ryoko! Ryoko, wait!" He paused, waiting for a reply,   
but to his displeasure, there was none.   
Ayeka rose slowly to her feet, her mind still implanted in disbelief.   
Could this mean what she had prayed for in her heart and dreams? Could   
this mean… Tenchi truly loved her, wanted her, and had picked her, over   
Ryoko? She placed her hand tenderly on Tenchi's shoulder. "Tenchi, I   
understand now. You do love me, right? You would rather be with me   
than that…that… that grotesque monster?"  
Tenchi was silent for a moment, then whipped cruelly around. His   
eyes stabbed like needles into her heart. "How could you say that?! Ryoko   
is gone Ayeka! Doesn't that mean anything to you? You're just as much a   
monster as she is, maybe even more of one!" He rushed past her, knocking   
her side without any sort of apology, and stormed into the house. Ayeka   
stood paralyzed in the cold, unaware of what to do next.  
******  
Ryoko sat silently, tears streaming down her cheeks, feet dangling   
mildly off the branch underneath her. How could this have happened?   
What do I again and again do wrong that upsets Tenchi? "Maybe I should   
just leave." She whispered to herself, as the leaves swirled to and fro in   
the breeze around her, creaking the tree and swaying its long limbs. The   
moon peeked out from behind a dark cloud, questioning her sorrow and   
pitying her misfortune. She knew she should leave, that she didn't belong   
here, but something still held her strong. Something pulled her away from   
all the promises the universe held and unwordingly convinced her to keep   
on. "Damn you, Tenchi Masaki. Damn you." She murmured, then smiled   
innocently.  
"Ryyoooookoooooo!" Tenchi called as he pushed and shoved his   
way through the doors outskirting the Masaki shrine. Oh, where could   
she be? He thought anxiously to himself.   
Her ear's perked up at the sound of her name in the distance. "Just   
leave me alone!" She called back, frustrated at her pride. She waited for a   
moment, hearing no reply, until the soft crunch of twigs being broken   
leapt out from under the tree she resided on.   
"Ryoko, I'm sorry," Came Tenchi's voice. She couldn't see him, but   
she could her his steady breathing cascading below her. "I shouldn't have   
said what I said, but you have to admit sometimes you two do get out of   
hand. Sometimes I just let it make me crazy, and I say things I don't   
mean."  
"You meant it," Ryoko spoke softly. "I could see it in your eyes."  
"Eh… Eyes can be misleading sometimes, you know."  
"Tenchi, if you love Ayeka, just come out and say so. Don't play   
with my heart any longer." Ryoko's voice was firmer now.  
There was a brief pause, and the moon drifted completely from   
behind its cloudy prison. The wind had calmed, and the night was almost   
pleasant.  
"I love many things in this world." Tenchi said, then jumped in   
surprise as Ryoko appeared before him, her hands resting lightly on his   
shoulders, her eyes peering lovingly into his.   
"But do you love me?" The words escaped her lips, then whirred   
gently around Tenchi's mind.   
He looked to the ground. "That's too hard for me to say, just yet. I   
want you to know that I really care about you, but it's just too soon for me   
to know if it's love."   
Ryoko glanced towards the watching moon, then back into Tenchi's   
eyes, a light smile caressing her face. "Let's go home."  
Tenchi smiled back, his heart beating rapidly as he stared into her   
beautiful face. He reached slowly, groping the air for her hand in the pitch   
dark, until she reached forward and found his. As they walked towards   
the house, hand in hand, the moon snuck silently back behind its clouds,   
drunk and satisfied on love.  
  
******  
  
The birds sang and danced through the trees outside as Ryoko gently   
lifted her eyelids, welcoming the new day. As her eyes adjusted to the soft   
morning light, a cool breeze whipped gracefully in through her window, snaking   
and weaving the curtains in and out around each other. She noticed a light ray of   
sun peeking in at her from between the cracks in her ceiling. Oh, what a beautiful   
day.   
Ryoko pulled herself up and out of bed. Ryo-Ohki bound into the room,   
crying with glee at the appearance of Ryoko's now awake form.   
"Meeoooooooow!" She chirped, skipping and hopping around the room.  
Ryoko chuckled mildly. "You're such a little monster."  
"Ryoko! Are you awake yet?" Sasami yelled as she rapped roughly on the   
door.   
Ryoko grunted. Sasami pushed the door open, and Ryo-Ohki bound up   
into her arms. "Oh, Ryo-Ohki!" She yelped, giggling. "Oh, breakfast is ready   
Ryoko. Everyone else is already downstairs."  
"Thanks, little girly. I'll meet you down there in a few minutes."  
Sasami smiled sweetly, then scampered out the door, Ryo-Ohki meowing   
merrily in her arms.  
Ryoko sighed deeply, taking in the air as if it contained some sort of sweet   
perfume. She threw herself onto the bed, ruffling the sheets and pillows in one   
rapid THUD. Had the previous night been true? Had she just dreamed the entire   
thing? It all seemed too wonderful to be real. She saw Tenchi, drifting slowly   
amongst the mysts and fog of her mind. His soft warm face, his deep loving eyes,   
his gentle pouting lips. Oh, how she longed to caress them with her own. This   
was an image she had often seen in her dreams, but, when morning came, she   
would awaken and curse the taunting of her mind. She sighed once more, then   
rose her body skyward in one brief movement. As she left the room, heading   
downstairs for breakfast, her thoughts once again hovered around Tenchi, and   
what the day would bring.   
Tenchi sat motionless at the table eating a rice cake, a bit of it resting easily   
along his upper lip. Sasami rushed around in the kitchen, scrubbing every pot   
and pan she could get her hands on, Ryo-Ohki at her heels. Mihoshi sat at the   
table, near sleep by an unrelenting lecture of Kiyone's. Ayeka and Washu were   
mumbling quietly amongst themselves, most likely about the progression of her   
ship. Ryoko smiled, watching all of them take on the day without a moment's   
bother. "Good morning everyone," she announced her entrance as if she were a   
king. "Sleep well?" Her eyes were avoiding Tenchi's nervous ones.  
"Oh, just fine!" Mihoshi yelled gleefully. "What about you Kiyone?"  
"Well, I would have slept well if it wasn't for YOUR loud snoring!"  
Mihoshi looked hurt, and Kiyone sighed.   
"You're considerably cheery this morning, Ryoko dear," Washu said   
suspiciously. "Oh I see… You weren't doing this and that with Tenchi, were   
you?"  
"Whaaaaaaaaat!?" Ayeka shrieked, her face struck with horror.  
Washu chuckled to herself. "Just kidding, just kidding."  
Ryoko looked up in time to see Tenchi's face red with embarrassment, and   
she almost giggled out loud. "Oh yes, Tenchi and I were making love all night   
long!"  
Ayeka shrieked louder, and Tenchi smiled innocently.  
"What can I get you for breakfast Ryoko?" Sasami said as she bound into   
the room.   
"Oh, nothing for me thanks. I'm just going to go work on my sweeping so   
I can get it done early, and have more time for play later." She winked at Tenchi,   
making Ayeka squeal.  
"Oh, you're so hopeless!" She yelped.  
Ryoko smirked as she got up from the table, leaving the others to finish   
their breakfast.  
As she swept the ground lightly with her broom, Ryoko's mind danced   
around the thought of she and Tenchi together, and this time, forever. She could   
still feel the warmth of his hand in hers, as they walked slowly back towards the   
house, nothing needed to say. Her head was still floating through dreams when a   
wispy hand rested delicately on her shoulder, causing her to yell and throw   
down her broom. She whirled around to face Tenchi, his eyes heavy with   
remorse.  
"Sorry if I scared you, Ryoko."  
"Uhhh…Well, that's ok. I wasn't scared! A vicious space pirate like me, no   
way!"  
Tenchi smiled. "I'm glad."  
"So what do you want anyway?" Ryoko questioned suspiciously.  
"Well, I actually wanted to talk to you about last night."  
Ryoko was stunned without words, so she bent down silently to seize her   
broom.  
"I'm sorry again about what I said," Tenchi said, looking at the soft gravel   
at his feet. "It was awful of me."  
"Yeah, well, I told you last night that you are forgiven. You know I could   
forgive you anything."  
Tenchi looked up at Ryoko, his eyes filled with shame. He slowly walked   
towards her, until their faces were practically touching. "Ryoko…There's   
something I need to tell you…Something I never realized until last night…"  
Ryoko felt her face leaning in towards his, her lips yearning for Tenchi's   
gentle touch. "Yes?"  
"Well…I…" Tenchi leaned in as well, his eyes searching through hers for   
love and affection.  
A flash of light shot through the air, and a massive dark shape soared   
down, then hovered restlessly above them. Tenchi and Ryoko's gaze was   
interrupted as both of their eyes turned skywards. Mihoshi, Kiyone, Washu,   
Sasami, and Ayeka all burst outside, their mouths hung open in awe at the   
colossal black space ship that hung above them.   
"What the heck is that!?" Tenchi cried, his arms wrapped tightly around   
Ryoko.   
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaah! I'm scared!" Mihoshi howled as she threw herself at   
Kiyone.   
"Will you get off me!" Kiyone yelped back at her. "I can barely breath!"  
Ryo-Ohki leapt out into the dirt, snarling as a tall dark figure stepped out   
from the ship that was now hovering in the sky above them. As the smoke   
cleared and the dust settled, they recognized him as human. He wore a tight   
black suit, which contained the muscles that exploded from his arms and long   
thick legs. His hair was supple and wavy, a light shade of brown that glistened in   
the sun that was making its way towards the middle of the sky. His back was   
solid and stiff, covered by a gray cape that cascaded down over him. His   
beautiful, captivating eyes looked weary, concern gushing from every corner of   
his face.  
Ryoko gasped, her mouth drawn up in amazement. "Kazuhiro."  
Tenchi glanced back and forth between this new visitor and Ryoko,   
confused.  
The man's eyes darted back and forth, until they spotted Ryoko and   
rested on her. A bright, warm smile spread quickly over his face. "Ah, so we   
meet again, Ryoko."  
A gasp swelled throughout the other girls.  
"You…you know him, Miss Ryoko?" Sasami asked timidly from behind a   
stunned Ayeka.  
"Ryoko and I were partners a while back," Kazuhiro said, his eyes still on   
her. "Well, maybe even a little more."  
Ryoko felt Tenchi's hand around her waist tense at these words.  
"We had some wonderful times together," Kazuhiro continued, looking   
up at the sky as if he was remembering every one of them. "But strangely, this   
one time when we came to Earth, she said she was going to loot a nearby village.   
Of course she came back, just like I knew she would, but from that point on she   
was distant. She hardly ate, hardly spoke, her mind always seemed to be   
somewhere else. Then, one morning when I went to finally speak with her about   
it, she was gone. She had left in Ryo-Ohki without a trace, and I never saw her   
again. Well, until now that is."   
Ryoko was silent.  
"Oooooooh… So, you used to know Ryoko?" Mihoshi said giddily.  
Kiyone fell over in despair and Washu punched herself in the face.  
"How did you find me?" Ryoko finally said, her eyes set on his.  
"Well, let's just say I've been searching for a while," Kazuhiro rushed   
towards Ryoko, knocking Tenchi away and throwing his arms around her. "Oh,   
I've missed you so."   
Tenchi stood up, his eyes full of shock. "Ryoko…" Was all he could say.  
Kazuhiro leaned in for a kiss, but Ryoko brushed him aside. "Kazuhiro,   
I…"  
A silent burst of rage overpowered Tenchi, and he leapt forwards. "Hey,   
leave Ryoko alone!"  
Kazuhiro merely raised his hand, and Tenchi was thrown backwards hard   
into the dirt by a smoky blue light that shot from within it. His eyes, however,   
remained on Ryoko, as if Tenchi was a small fly that deserved no more attention   
than the fatal squash it received.  
"Tenchi!" Both Ayeka and Ryoko were at his side in a flash, followed by   
Sasami, her long, green pigtails fluttering in the wind.  
Kazuhiro looked horrified as Ryoko embraced Tenchi in a gentle hug as   
Ayeka and Sasami tended to the narrow bloody gash that was now in his right   
arm. "This…this boy…" he stuttered. "You would choose this mere earthling over   
me? This foolish insignificant boy!? You must be confused! He must have   
you…have you hypnotized!"  
"No…" Ryoko murmured in a desperate attempt to respond, but   
Kazuhiro was fuming with thunder and rage.  
"Don't worry Ryoko, I'll teach this boy a lesson! I'll teach him to interfere   
with the love that overcomes us both!" Kazuhiro raised his hand towards Tenchi,   
lifting him in the air and guiding him up to the ship.  
"Oh no…Tenchiiii!" Ayeka screamed.   
"Kazuhiro, no! You can't take him!" Ryoko yelled as she rushed towards   
him.  
"Ryoko! Once this spell has worn off and you realize who it is you really   
love, I'll be waiting! I'll be waiting on the ship, my dear Ryoko." And with that,   
Kazuhiro disappeared, no doubt headed for his ship where an unconscious   
Tenchi lay.  
"Oh Ryoko, what is he going to do to Tenchi? He won't kill him, will he?   
Will he, Ryoko?" Sasami was bawling in Ayeka's arms, he face wet with tears,   
her eyes binding fear.  
"No. Kazuhiro may seem scary, but he has a kind heart, and he would   
never kill anyone, unless they struck him first," Ryoko stood glued to the spot,   
her eyes set like stone on the ship that still hovered over them. "I loved him."  
The only sound to be heard was the soft whirr of the ship, and the wind   
drifting mildly through the tall trees.   
"We were young when the two of us first set out as partners," Ryoko went   
on, her head migrating to the ground that lay before her. "We looted and   
pillaged every village we could get our hands on, each day falling more in love.   
It was all fun and games to me, but to him, it was the way the world would   
always be. Just he and I together, growing rich from the games we played. But   
when we came to earth, that's when I met Tenchi…" Her voice drifted off, as if   
eaten away by the wind that whipped at their cheeks.   
Silence. No one knew what to say, or even how to say the questions that   
lingered on each girl's mind.  
"Do you still love him Ryoko?" Washu spoke up, concern invading her   
face.  
Ryoko turned to face the gigantic black ship that hovered serenely against   
the bright blue sky. "I must save Tenchi."  
"Well, we'll help you!" Mihoshi yelled.  
"That's right! Detectives Kiyone and Mishoshi are at your service Ryoko!"   
Kiyone joined in at Mihoshi's side, their guns cocked and ready before them.  
"No…" Ryoko practically whispered in to the air. She knew what she had   
to do, even if they didn't understand it yet. "This is something I gotta do on my   
own."  
Washu stepped forward from amongst the other girls. "Well, I can tell   
from here that there is a strong force field surrounding that ship, but I'm sure I   
can find a way to delay just long enough to get you on board. Of course, once   
you're there, we'll have no way of contacting you."  
"I know."   
Washu waved her computer out of the air, and began typing in data as   
each key made a soft ticking sound under her rapidly moving fingers.  
There was a few moments silence as Washu continued to scheme about   
her plan.  
"Ryoko…Please, bring Tenchi back safe."  
Ryoko jumped as Ayeka's hand rested on her shoulder.  
"I know you and I have never gotten along, and well…we probably never   
will, but all that I ask is for you to bring him back. Bring him back safe, and   
unharmed. I wouldn't care if he fell in love with you, as long as I knew he was   
alright, and happy."  
Ryoko turned around to face her, her eyes on the brink of tears. Why, she   
didn't really understand. Maybe it was because she didn't know what kind of   
torture may have been going on inside the ship above her. Or perhaps because of   
the sorrow and release that drifted through Ayeka's heartbreaking eyes.   
Ryoko chuckled. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, princess.   
Tenchi will be back for dinner tonight with me, I promise."  
Ayeka smiled quietly, then walked back to Sasami's side.  
"Ryoko, I'm ready for you now," Washu said as she continued tapping on   
her computer. "When I say, I want you to fly up towards the ship and convert   
yourself inside. Understand?"  
"Yeah, I'm ready. Let's go."  
The women watched in awe as Washu began to count rapidly down from   
10. As she neared one, Ryoko whispered to herself. "I'm coming, Tenchi…"  
"4…3…2…1… NOW!"  
As Ryoko shot straight up towards the ship, she felt herself pass through a   
strange zone, and a tingling sensation began to crawl up her legs and into her   
back. She looked down to see the girls getting smaller and smaller, their hopeful   
eyes giving her all the strength she needed.  
As she drifted through the thick walls and into the ship, the now sharp   
pain seemed to vanish almost instantly, as if she had left it and gone into some   
other territory. She walked cautiously down a long corridor, surrounded only by   
long, narrow beams that covered the walls, giving little light for her to see with.   
At the end of the hallway she recognized a massive, stone door, covered with   
vines and bulky leaves that stretched outward. She remembered the long nights   
she had spent behind that door, laughing and drinking and talking with   
Kazuhiro. She remembered kissing him there for the first time just as well. As   
she shoved her body hard against the door, it budged mildly and gave way,   
easing its way slowly forward. Ryoko entered the room, where Tenchi lay   
unconscious on Kazuhiro's massive bed. Without thinking she bound to his side,   
caressing his head and chest. "Oh Tenchi…" She whispered, when suddenly he   
disappeared from her arms. She yelped and spun around, only to face Kazuhiro   
standing firmly before her, Tenchi in his arms.  
"So…I see you have not yet come to your senses?" Kazuhiro said,   
unsmiling.  
"Kazuhiro, I'm not under any spell! I don't love you any more!"  
"You silly woman! You only think you don't love me anymore. I know   
deep down you still feel the passion, the obsession, the infatuation we knew so   
long ago!"  
"No…That's just it, Kazuhiro. It was long ago. After I left for a while I   
admit I missed you, but day-by-day I realized my love was not true with you. I   
only needed you to keep my loneliness away, I never truly cared for you!"  
"NO!" Kazuhiro was now pacing violently around; Tenchi sprawled out   
on the bed where he had thrown him. "I won't believe it! I won't!"  
"But you have to! It's all true! I'm not lying!" Ryoko argued desperately,   
trying to use reason before violence, something not usually done by her. She was   
angry, angry enough to kill, but she confessed in her mind that she cared too   
much for Kazuhiro to hurt him.  
Kazuhiro walked slowly over to his bed, his head hung low to the ground.   
He sat down upon it, eyes still set on the floor. "Do you remember it here?" He   
asked quietly.  
Ryoko's face flushed with embarrassment and she turned away.   
"You must remember all the nights we made love on this bed. You must   
remember the crazed delight that spread through me, and I know you as well,   
whenever we did. How can you still be familiar with these feelings, and not want   
to come back to me?"  
Ryoko turned to face him, her hands quivering. "That was a long time   
ago. I hardly remember anything at all; we were always drunk those nights."   
Kazuhiro's face hastily looked up into Ryoko's eyes. "How can you say   
that? Some nights we knew exactly what we were doing, without a drop!"  
Ryoko let out a deep sigh. "I still don't remember feeling the things you   
say I felt. Yes, I admit I was in love with you, but it was love from the heart of a   
young foolish girl."  
Kazuhiro was silent for a moment, than suddenly leapt from his spot,   
lunged at Ryoko, and pulled her in to a deep kiss. At first Ryoko could barely   
move in the tight grip of his arms, but without thinking she wriggled free and let   
her hand fly smack across his right cheek. Kazuhiro was knocked off his feet   
from the shock, and he toppled over backwards onto the hard marble floor.  
The silence that followed was unbearable. Ryoko stood panting, her gaze   
set on Tenchi, who was now sitting upright groggily, his eyes just as surprised as   
Kazuhiro's. Kazuhiro sat on the floor, his legs sprawled out in front of him, his   
cape ripped from the fall. His face expressed his immense horror and shock.  
"So… You really love this boy," Kazuhiro finally managed to murmur. "I   
could feel it in your kiss. What I felt was a bond I could not break, and you know   
all I ever want is for you to be happy, my dear Ryoko."  
"I'm sorry," Ryoko practically whispered between breaths. "Just let me   
and Tenchi go now, please."  
Without words, Kazuhiro stood up, his hurting pride visible even to the   
untrained eye. With a wave of his strong hands, Ryoko was standing back on   
earth again, Tenchi by her side. The other girls watched respectfully as   
Kazuhiro's ship drifted off into the distance, until it could no longer be seen in   
the sun.  
Sasami ran over to Ryoko's flank. "That was quick…But you beat him,   
right Ryoko?"  
"Yup," Ryoko said, still gazing in Kazuhiro's direction. "I beat him."  
"Yay! Good job, Ryoko!" Mihoshi said, clapping along with Kiyone and   
Washu.  
Ryoko turned to face Ayeka's beaming face. "Yes, nicely done Miss   
Ryoko."  
Ryoko smiled.  
"Well hey! I made dinner while everyone was away! Anybody hungry?"   
Sasami asked giddily.  
"Oh yes, I'm starving Sasami!" Tenchi said with a gleeful smile.   
"Good!" Sasami said, than took Tenchi's hand and lead him inside. Tenchi   
turned with longing eyes at Ryoko, a soft smile hugging his face.  
  
******  
"Oh, that was a fantastic dinner Sasami!"   
Tenchi sat rubbing his bursting stomach, all the other girls finishing up   
their meals around him.  
"Oh yes! You're the best cook ever, Sasami!" Kiyone agreed.  
Sasami blushed, giggling.  
"Hey, where's Ryoko?" Tenchi questioned eagerly.  
"I think I saw her disappear into the carrot garden a few minutes ago,"   
Washu replied, then snickered to herself.  
At the word carrot, Ryo-Ohki's ears perked up wildly.  
"Silly Ryo-Ohki, they aren't ready yet!" Sasami said, then stroked the   
disappointment out of her eyes.  
Ayeka sat silently, gently pushing her food around on her plate. Despite   
everyone's happiness she looked sad, for she knew who had won the fight. The   
strong will survive; the weak just lose the battle. And sadly, she knew that was   
she. The weak.  
Tenchi got up from the table and left the room, heading straight for the   
carrot garden where Ryoko sat watching the sun set on a large rock.  
She jumped as Tenchi sat down next to her.  
"You're always scaring me!" She almost yelled, but she couldn't hide her   
high spirits.  
"Sorry," Tenchi said with a warm smile. "Beautiful sunset, isn't it?"  
"Yes," she replied, her eyes unwavering. "It's too bad their over so   
quickly."  
Tenchi sighed. "Thank you."  
"For what? All I did was punch, kick, and mangle my way to saving you!"  
Tenchi laughed, then let it slowly fade with the sun. "I heard most of the   
conversation you two had, you know."  
Ryoko was surprised, almost embarrassed. "Really?"  
"Yeah," Tenchi replied, then placed his arm gently around Ryoko's waist.   
Ryoko blushed, then cuddled up against him. "I almost felt sorry for that guy   
after you slapped him. You're a handful sometimes, you know that?"  
Ryoko sighed sorrowfully, and drew away from Tenchi's embrace. "I'm so   
sorry. Sometimes I guess I'm just an emotional person, and I just let everything   
out, good or bad. I know sometimes I'm a little too forthright with you, but-"  
"But I like that in a woman," Tenchi interrupted, smiling a welcoming   
smile.  
Ryoko was shocked. Had Tenchi just said what she thought he had said?   
Could this really mean what she thought it meant?  
Ryoko gazed lovingly up into Tenchi's snug eyes. She wished she could   
have stayed there forever. Before she even had time to ponder further, Tenchi   
dove towards her, smothering her with a profound kiss.  
Just as fast as it had started it stopped, and Tenchi pulled away to observe   
Ryoko's reaction. At first her eyes were overcome with surprise, then, when she   
broke from her trance, she smiled and they filled to the brink with love. Ryoko   
brought her hand forward and lightly caressed Tenchi's cheek. "Don't worry, I'm   
not going to slap this one," she said lovingly, than eased in for another kiss.   
Tenchi threw his arms around her, as the two satisfied each other with passion.   
Passion Ryoko had never felt, not even with Kazuhiro. She knew this truly was   
love. As the two embraced each other, watching the sun complete its course and   
sink behind the distant mountains, it was clear. The world was at peace, and the   
moon came forth, bringing the stars to watch love bloom again.  



End file.
